Dispensing envelope



July 7, 1942- 'r. J. M CARTHY DISPENSING ENVELOPE Filed July 3, 1941 Patented July 7, i942 DISPENSFNG ENVELOPE Thomas J. McCarthy, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Central Ohio Paper Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application July 3, 1941, Serial No. 401,029

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-84) This invention relates to envelopes of the fiat tubular type, open at one end. and having an integral closure flap foldable over the open end.

The purpose of the subject invention is to provide an envelope of the class described, particularly designed to be used by physicians or pharmacists for the dispensing of pills or tablets, and by the patients or patrons of such physicians or druggists from which to periodically remove doses of the contained tablets. Such an envelope must be so made as to withstand the wear and tear of repeated opening and closing, and must be locked or latched closed inbetweentimes. The subject invention provides such an envelope.

The specific object of the invention is to pro vide an envelope of the class described, having a hook on the flap and a cooperating slot at an intermediate region of the lapped longitudinal seam on the back of the envelope, the hook being engageable in said slot for latching the flap in closed position. Envelopes have been devised heretofore having hook means for securing them closed, but these are for one time use only, and no thought has been given to preserving the hook intact and unwrinkled so that it can maintain its elliciency through repeated use. The hook of the subject invention by reason of its extent, shape and mode of cooperation with the slot is espeeially designed to withstand repeated handling.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the back of the envelope;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective View showing the hook partially inserted; and

Figure 5 is a rear elevation showing the method of withdrawing the hook.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the envelope consists of a fiat tubular body portion having a front face I and a back face in general designated by the reference character 2. The envelope has a permanently closed bottom flap 3. The longitudinal marginal portions 4 and 5 of the tubular portion lap in an intermediate region of the back, as shown, forming a seam which is glued together at the top and bottom portions 6 and 1, respectively, but is unglued or open in an intermediate region 8 forming an open slot between the lapped margins.

The envelope is provided with a closure flap 9 integral with the front face I and foldable over the open top of the envelope into superposed relation to the back face 2.

The flap 9 is of such longitudinal depth as to extend over the slot 8.

One side, [0 of the flap 9 is shaped with a convex curvature which intersects the. seam line of the envelope, being substantially tangent to a line perpendicular to said seam edge at the point of intersection.

On the other side the edge of the flap is formed with an ogee curve, the re-entrant portion of which forms an indentation II in the flap, the bight of which extends inwardly beyond the seam edge so as to expose the latter and to give the portion of the flap below said bight the shape of a hook with slightly upturned end extending beyond the seam line and capable of being inserted in the slot 8 with its upturned end slightly above the level of the upper end of said slot, in which position of the hook the flap is securely latched.

It is obvious that for the hook to be inserted in the slot, the flap must be bent or distorted. The relatively long longitudinal extent of the flap makes it possible to so distort it without creasing or wrinkling it or bending it beyond its elastic limit.

In order to insert the hook in the slot, the flap is twisted sufliciently to permit the end of the hook to be inserted. When in this position the flap is distorted to the extent shown in Figure 5 in which it stands out in the form of a spiral from the plane of the back face of the envelope. By placing the fingers as shown in Figure 4 and sliding them progressively along the flap in the direction of the slot, with pressure, the flap automatically flattens against the envelope, causing the hook to slide into the slot into its fully closed position. By virtue of the progressive and shifting application of pressure, the flap is not overstressed at any point, and consequently, it is neither creased, wringled, nor subjected to a permanent change of shape. The seam edge is slightly incurved in the region of the slot to serve as an indication of the location of said slot.

In order to remove the hook for opening the envelope, the forefinger is inserted beneath the hook until the tip of the finger appears in the bight of the indentation II. The thumb is then placed in contact with the finger tip, and by a slight twisting movement the end of the hook is brought below the level of the top end of the slot and can be withdrawn from the slot without imposing any undue strain upon the flap.

When the flap is in open position the contents of the envelope are discharged in the ordinary manner by pressing the sides of the tubular body portion expanding them, and then tipping the envelope so that the pills or tablets fall out by gravity.

It will be understood to those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction as shown and described are by way of example and that the breadth of the invention is to be determined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Envelope comprising a flat tubular body open at one end having a lapped seam extending down the back from the open end united by a glue line which is discontinuous at the intermediate portion of said seam providing a slot between the laps, said envelope having a flap closure foldable over said open end, extending downwardly over that portion of the back the margin of which forms the seam underlap, and having a laterally extending upturned hook end crossing the seam line in the zone of the slot, adapted to pass through the slot with its upturned end extending above the level of the upper end of said slot.

2. Envelope comprising a flat tubular body open at one end having a lapped seam extending down the back from the open end united by a glue line which is discontinuous at the intermediate portion of said sea-m providing a slot between the laps, said envelope having a flap closure foldable over said open end, of such depth as to overlie said slot, being bounded on one side by a convex curve intersecting the seam line in an arc which is substantially tangent to a, line which is substantially perpendicular to said seam line at the point of intersection, and bounded on the other side of an ogee curve, the re-entrant part of which forms a convex indent above said slot extending beyond said seam line whereby a hook is defined in the zone of said slot adapted to enter said slot.

3. Envelope as claimed in claim 2, the overlapping side of said seam being indented in the zone of said slot.

4. Envelope comprising a flat tubular body open at one end having a lapped seam extending down the back from the open end united by a glue line which is discontinuous at the intermediate portion of said seam providing a slot between the laps, said envelope having a flap closure foldable over said open end, of such depth as to overlie said slot, having a lateral indent above said slot extending inwardly beyond the seam edge the bight of which is of sufficient width to provide a fingerhold, and, defining a hook in the zone of said slot crossing said seam edge and adapted to enter said slot.

THOMAS J. IVICCARTHY. 

